[SpaceWeavil]

Discussion on the chapter - 'A Thief in the Night' will officially begin on Monday 14/2/05.

NancyBrooke will begin the discussion of this chapter.

Anyone wandering by this thread should feel free to raise questions or make comments.

Please try to keep the comments on this thread strictly related to discussion of the Hobbit.

[NancyBrooke]

Summary: A Thief In The Night

Or: Bilbo and George Bush “Masters of Low Expectations*”

Or: Is Bilbo a Mary Sue?


Now thoroughly tired of living on cram and growing afraid of Thorin’s avarice, Bilbo puts into motion a dangerous, daring and meddlesome plan.

Thorin’s party has been living for some time now besieged inside the mountain. Their only real progress or change seems to be that they’ve begun sorting and dividing the treasure, and Thorin has at last spoken aloud of his desire for the Arkenstone: “worth more than a river of gold in itself, and to me it is beyond price. That stone of all the treasure I name unto myself, and I will be avenged on anyone who finds it and withholds it” – all the while not knowing, of course, that the object of his deepest desire has been right under Bilbo’s nose (or head), the entire time. Bilbo becomes increasingly afraid of what might happen to him should he, and it, be discovered.

Meanwhile, news comes via the ravens that Dain and a force of 500 dwarves is not two-days march away. But the raven counsels that this may not be good news: winter is approaching as well, and with time growing short battle becomes ever more probable. “The treasure is likely to be your death, though the dragon is no more” he counsels Thorin, but Thorin remains unmoved.

Thorin’s intractableness makes up Bilbo’s mind, and that night he kindly volunteers to take over Bombur’s watch (Bombur only too happy to go back to trying to recapture his Mirkwood-induced dreams of feasting), drops a rope over the wall and, being sure to first put on his ring, steals out of the Dwarves camp bearing the Arkenstone.

In the camp of Men and Elves he is brought before Bard and the Elvenking, given food, warm blankets and a place by the fire. In quite a casual and somewhat apologetic manner – almost as if he were arriving late to a friends house for tea – Bilbo divulges to them that Dain’s force is nearing, winter is close behind, and that he would very much like “to avoid trouble for all concerned.” Thus, to even the odds and hasten a peaceful conclusion, he presents to them the Arkenstone of Thrain, the beauty of which surprises even the Elvenking “whose eyes were used to such things.”

Clearly stunned, but grateful, the Elvenking praises Bilbo and strongly encourages him to stay on their side, and not return to the mountain now that he has betrayed the Dwarves. But Bilbo, as if he really doesn’t recognize the danger he has put himself in, insists that he return to “his friends,” reasoning that, at least, he did promise to wake Bombur at midnight.

As they pass out of camp, Bilbo is hailed by “an old man in a dark cloak” who, not surprisingly, turns out to be Gandalf. He leaves Bilbo with some portentous advice: “Keep your heart up! You may come through all right. There is news brewing that even the ravens have not heard.”

Bilbo returns to the mountain to find all is as he left it; he climbs up his rope and hides it, then wakes up Bombur as if he has merely been watching from the wall all this time. Quite exhausted, his fears at least temporarily dispatched, Bilbo quickly falls asleep to dream of eggs and bacon.




*This title was coined by a college friend of GWB's in an editorial recently published in the Baltimore Sun.

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I will make a more intelligent comment on this chapter next week after I re-read it but for now I have to say, your alternate titles still have me giggling, NancyBrooke!

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I know I am late in getting back to this chapter but I would really like to hear people's opinions on it, so I hope some people will come back late as I am.

To be honest, I never understood much of the action here. I understand that Thorin is rightfully upset that people are making demands of him without including him in their plans, but he seems very consumed by thoughts of his Arkenstone. He does not even heed the wise words of the raven that cautions him to think about relations between the Mountain and it's surrounds. That never struck me as being in character. I always thought Thorin was a more judicious dwarf/potential king in other parts of the book.

And when I first read of Bilbo taking the stone (after Thorin just said he would avenge anyone stealing) and giving it to Bard, I really didn't understand that. I mean, I know his intent was to break the seige and give Bard something to bargain with. But it never seemed smart to me. Brave, certainly, but not smart. I just saw Thorin getting really angry about it. Which he does and leads to one of my favorite lines in the next chapter--please do not damage my burglar.

I'd just like to hear other people's thoughts on this chapter to help me think about it better.

[NancyBrooke]

Part of the reason I (somewhat snarkily) subtitled my summary as I did is because this chapter is sort of disturbing. Bilbo's actions are hard to understand, and are most explainable at providing the plot catalyst of the Arkenstone to Bard etc. (Hence the 'Mary Sue' crack).

But when he hands it over to Bard (I don't remember the actual wording) he shudders a bit, as if it were a hard thing for him to do, as if there were somekind of emotional connection he had to it.

I think the Arkenstone is somewhat bewitching: Thorin is obsessed by it, Bilbo steals it and only reluctantly gives it up, the Elven King and Bard are stunned by it. Tolkien doesn't come right out and say it but the Arkenstone seems to induce a kind of possessiveness in those who see it.

Thorin seems to be so in thrall to it he disregards all judicious counsel even to the possible endagerment of his friends and family member.


The reason I made the GB/Bilbo comment is that a case was made in this editorial I read that part of Bush's success is that he intentionally lets people underestimate him to give him an advantage - people who don't think your a threat or very powerful give you more room. I think Bilbo is the same here: he definately plays some of his cards close to the chest - the Ring, the Arkenstone, his dwelling on the map before the door opens ... He knows and plans more than he lets on to the Dwarves.

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